R32 Gtst Whiteline & Bilstein Suspension

[Willie]

Good of you to post all that R32Abuser.

I'm hoping I'll be able to get this kit next time around. It's nice to have that sort of feedback to help with decisions.

Another advantage of a 'normal' system over coilovers is the longevity. It kind of scares me that kids are fitting thousands of dollars worth of coilovers + huge rims with low profile, soft compound tyres. With any sort of hard driving a set up like this would need to be refitted a couple of times a year at least. I'm guessing most of them are driving around with the handling of a dog on lino. Either that or they are all doctors and stockbrokers and can afford the maintenance.

[R32Abuser]

Not a problem Willie. I like to share what ive learnt, as i know what its like to make the wrong move and regretting it regarding cars.

Another thing is that coilovers tend to wear out quicker than

their "shock absorber" counterparts. Altho both are rebuildable, the Bilsteins last far longer than most of us will have the car for.

That is another thing i forgot to mention is the exponential better tyre wear from this kit. I wore out one rear set of Kuhmo Ecsta's in 6000k's with both these coilovers. It was rediculous how badly they wore the insides (altho this was mainly caused by the excessive camber due to it being lowered to all buggery). This kit is probably somewhere very close to stock regarding wear as im sure many people would agree with me. However it does depend on how "spirited" you drive the car.

[32DET]

hey gary,

Have this years stock of shocks arrived yet?

Cheers...

Ryan

[Simonster]

Hi Gary,

Had the Kit fitted today today. It was suggested that my front left hub arms might be bent as the least amount of camber they could dial in was -2.05degrees.

Also what was puzzling, with the 350/340 ride height and 1 camber kit for the rear, again, the least amount of camber they could get was-1.4 left and -1.0 right? I thought i only needed 1 kit for that ride height?

I guess I'll need the inner bush for the rear axel to dial this out?

Was able to get ~6.2 and 6.4 degrees caster

Question. The setting of +2mm rear toe in. Is that a total figure so 1mm each side or 2 each side.

Also what bar stabliser settings should i set?

Other than these minor glitches, the kit handles very well and has a nice ride quality

Regards

Simon

Edited January 24, 2007 by Simonster

[Sydneykid]

hey gary,

Have this years stock of shocks arrived yet?

Cheers...

Ryan

Sorry no, Bilstein Australia have not been advised by Bilstein Germany of the production schedule for any R32 rear shocks (that's GTR, GTST and GTS4). As soon as I know, I will post up the expected delivery dates. All other items (including front shocks) are currently available.

cheers

[Sydneykid]

Hi Gary,

Had the Kit fitted today today. It was suggested that my front left hub arms might be bent as the least amount of camber they could dial in was -2.05degrees.

Also what was puzzling, with the 350/340 ride height and 1 camber kit for the rear, again, the least amount of camber they could get was-1.4 left and -1.0 right? I thought i only needed 1 kit for that ride height?

I guess I'll need the inner bush for the rear axel to dial this out?

Was able to get ~6.2 and 6.4 degrees caster

Question. The setting of +2mm rear toe in. Is that a total figure so 1mm each side or 2 each side.

Also what bar stabliser settings should i set?

Other than these minor glitches, the kit handles very well and has a nice ride quality

Regards

Simon

Hi Simon, the LHS front is unusual, you may have to look at replacing the upper arm, that's the most commonly bent item. The uprights are pretty damn tough and they don't bend easily. A bent lower control arm usually means not enough negative camber, so I doubt that it's a lower arm.

Around 1.0 degrees negative camber on the rear is OK and not unusual. Do you know if they adjusted the standard rear camber adjusters? They are good for around 0.25 degrees, which might enable them to balance out the rear.

The rear toe in is 2mm each side.

cheers

[Simonster]

Hi Gary,

I'll check out the upper arm- thanks

Yes, i asked what the possible cause would be for the rear camber- they mentioned that they tried to adjust the standard rear camber adjusters to help but to no avail.

Thanks for the rear toe advice, it's currently set to 1mm in as they thought it was a total figure.

Again thanks for the help with the kit- it's a different car on the road.....I'm glad i don't need to wear the kidney belt in the car anymore

Again many thanks

Simon

Hi Simon, the LHS front is unusual, you may have to look at replacing the upper arm, that's the most commonly bent item. The uprights are pretty damn tough and they don't bend easily. A bent lower control arm usually means not enough negative camber, so I doubt that it's a lower arm.

Around 1.0 degrees negative camber on the rear is OK and not unusual. Do you know if they adjusted the standard rear camber adjusters? They are good for around 0.25 degrees, which might enable them to balance out the rear.

The rear toe in is 2mm each side.

cheers

[Simonster]

I'm an idiot. That's what you get for not checking things yourself as you'd think that a reputable suspeinsion establishment would check their work.

I've just measured the wheel to guard height and it's too low. The rears are 320-ish mm fronts are 330. I asked for 350/340 and metioned that the struts shoud be set at that height out of the box. The circlip should be in the yellow banded groove.

That's why the rear camber can't be adjusted any further and the rear tyres are rubbing on the guards- I thought it might have been caused by less -ve camber but now i know.

I'll take it back it and get it re-done.

[Sydneykid]

I'm an idiot. That's what you get for not checking things yourself as you'd think that a reputable suspeinsion establishment would check their work.

I've just measured the wheel to guard height and it's too low. The rears are 320-ish mm fronts are 330. I asked for 350/340 and metioned that the struts shoud be set at that height out of the box. The circlip should be in the yellow banded groove.

That's why the rear camber can't be adjusted any further and the rear tyres are rubbing on the guards- I thought it might have been caused by less -ve camber but now i know.

I'll take it back it and get it re-done.

Please let me know how you get on.

cheers

[Simonster]

Please let me know how you get on.

cheers

Hi Gary,

Well in the end i raised the car to it's maximum height. Rasied it ~20mm. Fixed the camber problems front and rear but left it at 1mm rear toe in each side.

Definately much better. Springs are settling in and the ride is firm but very compliant- damper rates are just perfect

For anyone thinking about getting the kit, feel free to drop me a PM. I purchased the complete kit and recommend it highly. I also have a 500hp Sil80 that sees more time at QR then the road. The car has seen some development and Gary's street setup for the GTS-T is pretty darn good when compared to it.

I wait with interest Gary for your S13/180SX suspension kit

[Gts-t]

Simonster, what is in the sil80 that is better than the stuff in this GB?

[CEF11E]

Hi Gary,

I think the stabilizer bars will suit my needs and would like to order a set just need to make sure.

I have an R32GTS that has had the RB20det put in and RB20det gearbox.

I currently have a set of king springs and new shocks (not sure what sort without getting really dirty. but they perform ok at this stage. I want to lower the amount of body roll I am getting and decrease understeer.

I know nothing about suspension so please excuse my ignorance, but it looks like stabilizer bars should be the next step. I also do not know the spring rate i am running.

Will these bars fit the R32 GTS and do they come with the needed mounting brackets and bushes? I don't appear to have stabilizer bars there at all at the moment.

please let me know if I need anything else and how much both bars will be delivered to canberra.

thanks!

[Sydneykid]

Hi Gary,

I think the stabilizer bars will suit my needs and would like to order a set just need to make sure.

I have an R32GTS that has had the RB20det put in and RB20det gearbox.

I currently have a set of king springs and new shocks (not sure what sort without getting really dirty. but they perform ok at this stage. I want to lower the amount of body roll I am getting and decrease understeer.

I know nothing about suspension so please excuse my ignorance, but it looks like stabilizer bars should be the next step. I also do not know the spring rate i am running.

Will these bars fit the R32 GTS and do they come with the needed mounting brackets and bushes? I don't appear to have stabilizer bars there at all at the moment.

please let me know if I need anything else and how much both bars will be delivered to canberra.

thanks!

I have never seen an R32 without stabiliser bars.

The Whiteline stabiliser bars come with all the bushes necessary to replace the standard bars.

If you car truly doesn't have stabiliser bars (which I would be surprised at) then you will need to go to an import wrecker and buy the standard stabiliser bar hardware.

cheers

[Simonster]

PM sent

Edited February 10, 2007 by Simonster

[Simonster]

Hey Gary,

Just wanted to say the suspension is just fantastic. Took it to Queensland Raceway on the weekend, was very impressed, car is so predictable

Question. If i transplant an RB25/30 and RB25 gearbox into the 32, was changes would i need to make to the suspension to handle the extra weight

Cheers

Simon

[Sydneykid]

Hey Gary,

Just wanted to say the suspension is just fantastic. Took it to Queensland Raceway on the weekend, was very impressed, car is so predictable

Question. If i transplant an RB25/30 and RB25 gearbox into the 32, was changes would i need to make to the suspension to handle the extra weight

Cheers

Simon

Hi Simon, based on my own R322GTST, there not enough weight difference to matter. But you will notice the power oversteer a little more due to the RB30's extra torque, so I back off the rear stabiliser bar 1 hole.

cheers

[Simonster]

Hi Simon, based on my own R322GTST, there not enough weight difference to matter. But you will notice the power oversteer a little more due to the RB30's extra torque, so I back off the rear stabiliser bar 1 hole.

cheers

Thanks Gary!

Also i never did find out suggested bar settings. Currently front on hard and rear on middle.

Again great kit Gary

[Sydneykid]

Thanks Gary!

Also i never did find out suggested bar settings. Currently front on hard and rear on middle.

Again great kit Gary

I usually start of with the front bar on full soft and the rear on the middle setting.

If it oversteers too much, then I move the front bar to the middle setting

If it still oversteers too much, then I back the rear bar off to the softest setting

If it still oversteers too much, then I move the front bar to the highest setting

If it still oversteers too much, then you might need some more rear camber and/or the HICAS is still working (get rid of it) and/or the rear subframe alignment kit needs to be set to maximum traction (squat)

I usually start of with the front bar on full soft and the rear on the middle setting.

If it understeers too much, then I move the rear bar to the highest setting

If it still understeers too much then you don't have enough caster/camber on the front

cheers

[Simonster]

I usually start of with the front bar on full soft and the rear on the middle setting.

If it oversteers too much, then I move the front bar to the middle setting

If it still oversteers too much, then I back the rear bar off to the softest setting

If it still oversteers too much, then I move the front bar to the highest setting

If it still oversteers too much, then you might need some more rear camber and/or the HICAS is still working (get rid of it) and/or the rear subframe alignment kit needs to be set to maximum traction (squat)

I usually start of with the front bar on full soft and the rear on the middle setting.

If it understeers too much, then I move the rear bar to the highest setting

If it still understeers too much then you don't have enough caster/camber on the front

cheers ,

As always Gary, your selfless input is very appreciated.

I've saved your advice on a word document for future reference.

RB26/30 build begins

[Sydneykid]

Bilstein Australia have received a small shipment of R32GTST rear shocks. Those guys with back orders, I will be contacting you tomorrow regarding delivery of your shocks. Thank you for being patient. Anyone thinking of buying a kit, my best suggestion is to get in now, they won't last very long.

cheers